Citizenship of Croatia can not get everyone. But the former Yugoslav republic still provides more opportunities for immigrants than any other Schengen state. All of them are worth briefly telling.
Citizenship by descent
This method is not suitable for everyone, but it is the simplest. Croatian citizenship can be obtained if ... born on its territory. But here, not everything is so elementary. A citizen of a given state can count on a passport:
- A child adopted by the subjects of this country.
- One born in a family in which at least one parent is a citizen of Croatia. It does not matter where exactly the child was born. This clause applies only to children who were born out of wedlock.
- A child living abroad. Only in this case, the parent with a Croatian passport is required to write an application for conferring citizenship on him.
- A child who was born in this country, but ended up without parents (left in an orphanage, for example). However, if before his 14th birthday it suddenly turns out that his family were foreigners, then citizenship is canceled.
- Juvenile children legally immigrating with their parents to Croatia. They are granted citizenship automatically.
Residence permit and business
Now we can talk about more universal options. None of which is impossible without obtaining a residence permit. And a residence permit card, in fact, is a document giving a person the right to obtain Croatian citizenship.
So, the first way is business immigration. In this state, any foreigner can open a business. But it should be either a CJSC or an LLC.
Investors who wish to invest in the development of the Croatian economy are welcome in this country. But only if the foreigner provides local residents with jobs in his company. Most importantly, the authorized capital for starting a business is minimal! Only 3,000 dollars. In addition, you will need:
- Certificate of good conduct;
- A document confirming the registration of a CJSC or LLC in a commercial court%
- Medical certificate;
- A document stating that the applicant’s company has at least 3 jobs for local residents.
If registration is successful, then a person will be issued a residence permit.
Employment
If it is not possible to open a business, then how to get a residence permit in Croatia? You can try to find work in the country.
But this is also not for everyone. In Croatia, only a highly qualified specialist with education and experience can get a job. Moreover, for that specialty, which is relevant, in demand and in short supply in this state.
If you can find an employer interested in their services, you will have to draw up a lot more documents. Firstly, you need a long-term visa to Croatia. It is issued on the basis of a work permit, which will also have to be issued separately at the embassy. This document will also need to be presented when applying for a residence permit. The permit is valid for 1 year, after which it will have to be renewed.
Training
Admission to a Croatian university is the easiest way to obtain a residence permit, and subsequently citizenship. Education is inexpensive and affordable, in addition, foreign students have the right to earn extra money. But only a residence permit, as already mentioned, is issued only for 1 year.And studying at the university lasts 5 years. Accordingly, it is necessary to renew the residence permit 5 times.
To avoid problems, you need to remember an important nuance. Documents (they will have to be reassembled each time) for renewal of residence permit are submitted 45 days before the expiration of its validity.
And, since a student visa to Croatia is issued for a long period, you need to pay special attention to your passport. It will have to remain valid for at least 3 months after the end of its validity.
Buying a property
Another way by which you can first obtain a residence permit, and then Croatian citizenship. But only the process of acquiring real estate is very complicated and long. Because to buy it without the sanction of special agencies (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is simply unrealistic.
If a person has looked after a house or apartment, he must draw up a special notification letter and send it to the notorious authority. Representatives of which after studying the document will send an answer. This is a very important letter, since it is it that authorizes the sale and purchase transaction.
If the immigrant is a natural person, then he only needs to have a passport, the necessary amount and permission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For an entrepreneur who owns a ZAO or LLC in Croatia, in addition, you will also need all the statutory documents of his company.
But after the purchase, you can suppress the application for a residence permit.
Next steps
So, obtained a residence permit - what are the next steps? The Croatian Embassy sets clear requirements for applicants wishing to obtain a passport from their state. And it is logical to assume that one residence permit is not enough.
After receiving it, a person must live in the state for 5 years. Naturally, the residence permit will have to be extended. But it is not difficult. A greater difficulty for many foreigners is the obligation to learn the Croatian language, as well as pass an exam on knowledge of the legislation and social structure of this country. The test results confirming the successful fulfillment by the foreigner of these two requirements are attached to the main list of documents submitted to the migration service.
And a person will have to accept the culture and rules of this state. Because the Croatian embassy and authorities do not recognize dual citizenship.
Getting permanent residence and waiting
So, in general, it is clear what requirements must be met in order to obtain a legal residence permit in a country such as Croatia. Permanent residence is the next step. Everyone knows that this abbreviation means "permanent residence." So, an immigrant can obtain the status of a person entitled to permanent residence in Croatia only after spending 5 years in the country with a residence permit. And this is the main "pitfall" in this topic.
A person receives permanent residence by passing tests for knowledge of the legislation, the history of Croatia, as well as local culture. By the way, following the results of such an exam, he is issued another relevant certificate.
After this, a person will need another three years to live in this state without a local passport. Total - 8 years as an immigrant. Only after this period a person can be issued a Croatian citizen passport. However, for this he must submit an application to the migration service.
Marriage
Talking about how to obtain Croatian citizenship to a Russian citizen, one cannot fail to note another popular way. Naturally, this is a marriage between a local resident and a foreigner.
If a couple wants to get married in Croatia, then you need to prepare first. Documents are submitted 30-45 days before the date. Future newlyweds need to show:
- Copies of passports.
- A certificate of immigrant that he is not married.
- Birth certificates (originals).
- Copies of witness passports.
It is advisable to provide documents with an apostille.
After the marriage is concluded, a foreigner can request a residence permit with the right to renew.5 years after the wedding, the immigrant is granted citizenship. But only if he did not cross the territorial borders of the country. Of course, marriage should not be fictitious. A detailed interview with the consul cannot be avoided, and in such "interviews" fraud is very often revealed.
Documents
Well, in the end, it is worth listing the documents necessary for an initial residence permit. Here is the package of papers you have to collect:
- Application in the prescribed form.
- Two photos, format 3x3.5.
- Certificate of registration of the enterprise and an extract from the register of the commercial court (for businessmen).
- Confirmation of the availability of funds for living in the country.
- A document proving that a person has a place to live (a lease contract, a sales contract, etc.).
- Certificate of good conduct.
- Medical insurance.
- Birth certificate.
- Foreign and civil passport.
You will also need copies of all these documents. It is worth noting that to obtain a visa you need these same papers. True, this is only a basic list. For multivisa, for example, issued for a period of several years, you will need additional documents.
Well, based on the foregoing, we can conclude: becoming a citizen of Croatia is real. This will require certain financial and time costs, but after all the conditions are met, a long-awaited passport of a legal local resident awaits.